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US President Donald Trump on Sunday (local time) announced 25 per cent retaliatory "emergency tariffs" on Colombia, hours after President Gustavo Petro blocked US military deportation flights.
Following Petro's announcement, Trump criticized him in a post on Truth Social and announced a slew of sanctions and policies targeting Colombia. The actions by the US President included a 25 per cent tariff on all imports from the country, a "travel ban" for Colombian citizens, and a revocation of visas for Colombian officials in the US along with "all allies and supporters." Trump further attacked Colombian President Gustavo Petro, calling him "unpopular". He claimed that his denial of these flights has "jeopardized" the national security and public safety of the United States. "I was just informed that two repatriation flights from the United States, with a large number of Illegal Criminals, were not allowed to land in Colombia. This order was given by Colombia's Socialist President Gustavo Petro, who is already very unpopular amongst his people. Petro's denial of these flights has jeopardized the National Security and Public Safety of the United States, so I have directed my Administration to immediately take the following urgent and decisive retaliatory measures," Trump stated in a post on Truth Social. Earlier on Sunday, Petro announced blocking two US military flights carrying migrants heading toward the country and called on the United States to establish better protocols in its treatment of migrants. He also asserted that the US could not treat Columbian migrants as criminals and denied acceptance of the US planes carrying migrants. https://x.com/petrogustavo/status/1883434963057729650 "The US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals. I deny the entry of American planes carrying Colombian migrants into our territory. The United States must establish a protocol for the dignified treatment of migrants before we receive them." Trump has also stated that after a week, the tariffs on goods would rise to 50 per cent. "Emergency 25% tariffs on all goods coming into the United States. In one week, the 25% tariffs will be raised to 50%," the post read. Trump has also ordered immediate visa revocations on the Colombian Government Official and imposed visa sanctions on all supporters of the Columbian President's party. "A Travel Ban and immediate Visa Revocations on the Colombian Government Officials, and all Allies and Supporters," it added. "Visa Sanctions on all Party Members, Family Members, and Supporters of the Colombian Government," he said. Trump further said that more such measures may follow, and that the Columbian government must follow their 'legal obligations' of taking back their migrants. "These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian Government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the Criminals they forced into the United States!" he said. (ANI)
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